The Dillon tribune., 1887-01-28
~, ,,-r, D1rt Of .ilc end of the room,

~ large IIII Ci Ailc G!itl VI luc room.
..-a, down by tho fire. she continued, tan
II, git sc come poIc an milk. Thar's nothin
l,s,,ar ter start in on when yer raic e1npty.s
She went to q rude cupboard III the further
,,,.. Of til, room. wlc..ce the note of coilid,
Ing crockery soon gave information that She
was busy.
Tort:l.. took a bunch OK tow from h;,
,.,,,,lI end Will, it wiped of every particle Of
'..,,E,.ss fro,:. the outside OF his rife. after
XII: = he laid DIE gun ~. two wooden hook.
bore he fireplace, and hung tho accouter.
,.,.,,.; Oh deer iio....; i.t is b:cc2.l.
pull Of yer sl,ocs en- toast ger feet" h,
iii to Harry. "l'llc lrc'll draw the tir2t:,ss.
..;-'lt out
!yar.ys relaxed fingers fu-nhled vanly
with tI,o wet and oLati.iate shoe strings. Aunt
Lcbly came up with large bowl OF milk in
each band. and great circular loaf OF corn
bread under he:. arm. She placed her burden
upon the floor, and with quick. delft fingers
locse,,ctl the stubborn knots without All ap-
uarent effort, drew or tho muddy shoes and
soft them in O dark corner near the fireplace
before Harry fairly realized that he had let a
woman do this humble Office for him. Tho
sight and smell OF food aroused him from the
torpor Of intense fatigue, and he devoured tho
nomcly fare set before him with relish that
lc had never before felt for victuals. As he
alto bis senses awakened SO that he studied his
hostess with interest. Hair which tho ad-
yancing years, while bleaching to o snowy
whito had still been unable to rob OF thu
curling waves Of girlhood, ripplcd over
broad white brow, sober but scarcely
wrinklc<l; large serious but gentle gray eyes,
and a small, firm mouth, filed with even
white teeth. were the salient features Of
face at once resolutc, refined and womanly.
Long, slender hands, small feet, covered with
coarse but well-fitting shoes, slight, erect
figure, suggestive OF nervous strength, and
clad in q shapcly homespun gown stamped
her as q superior specimen of the class Of
lno,ntaineer women to which she belonged
.IIeah's 'nuther pone, honey she said to
Fortner, as she handed both of them seq
mcnts Of another disk OF corn bread, to re-
place that which they had ravencusly de-
voured. "An' le'lne fill yer bowls egin Hit
takes powerful sight O bread an milk ter
do when ones rala hcngry But faint like
meat yittcls ye can't eet :nufr ter do 70
harm"
She took from its p.acc behind the rough
s:oncs that formed tho jam Of the fireplace
rude broom, made by shaving down to near
it, end long slender strips from stick of
plant green hickory, then turning these over
the end and combining them by II band ints
u:i exaggerated mop Or brush. With this sho
swept back from the hearth OF uneven stones
the live Goals flung out by the fire.
"Thar's some walnut sticks amongst tibet
wood, she said as she replaced tho hearth
broom, IAN they pops awful"
From q pouch like basket, made Of skill
fully interviewer hickory strips, and hanging
against tho wall, she took a half finished
stocking and Il ball Of yarn. Drawing q low
rocking chair up into tho light. she seated
herself and began knitting.
As he ncarcd tho last of his second bowl Of
milk Fortner bethought himself, and glanced
at Aunt Debby. Her work had fallen from
her nervous hands and lay idly in her lap.
while l,cr great eyes were fixed hungrily upos
him.
"Tlcy'vc bin fouten over ter Wildcat to
day" he said, answering their inquiry, with
out waiting to empty his mouth.
YES, leared the canno,s," she said with
such gentle voice as made her dialect seem
quaint and sweet u elm up OH Dald Rock
ut the top o. tho mounting an lisse.ed. I
could sec the smoke raisin', but couldn't tel,
,lothn'. Much NV fout!'
Awful big 'un. Biggest 'un sence Buner
Vistcr. Olo Zollicoffer pitched his whole
army onter kunnel Garrard's riiimint.
Some other rijimints cum up ter help kunnei
Garrard, an both sides tit like devils fur three
Or four hours, an the dead jess lay in winrowS
ln'-n
Tho demands of Fortner's unapteased az.
petite here rose superior to his desire to inn
part information. Ho stopped to MUNICH the
last bit of corn bread and drain his bowl t.
the bottom.
YES, said Amt Debby, inhospitably dis.
regarding the exhaustion of tho provenclcr.
md speaking II little more quickly than her
wont, but which side whipt:'
"Ourn, in course, said Fortner, with
Ie.tied surprise at tho question. "Our'n, in
course. Ole Zollicoffer got ez bad Il lickin CT
'Ver GIneral Zach Taylor gin the N1exicans.s
"fayally: she said. Qualification showed
Itself III little lines that cou,sed about her
mouth, and her eyes illulninea Us when Il light
shines through a window.
hc s," answered Eortner Like hounds.
'nd run clean ter the ford, whar they're now
i-ioutcn an st:negsgiin' to git acrost, and
!foWndln' like :" many s:anlpe,lcd cattle"
eio'y. Thank Gol.' said Aunt Debby.
ller earhess!less expressed itself more by tho
"teiialty OF the tone than its rise.
Ev'aently Il tolerablc regular attendant d.
de'h'Wist camp meet incs." thought Hurry.
oosi's i''l, from the 'orpor into which, h.
vas falling.
Her faded cheek flushed Will, a little confu
ION NJ having suffered this outburst, and pick
nS up her knitting she nervousIy resumed
sork
fort'ier looked wistfully 1T the bottom Of
us einptied bowl. Aunt Dcbby took it away
'nd speedily returned with it filled. She came
,ack with an air OF eager expectancy that
'ortner would continue his narrative. But
"sa'il'e.i hunger still dominated him. and
,e had thoughts and mouth only for food.